Santa Barbara Superior Court Document Format Requirements
84 rules from official source documents
Rules 1 to 50, page 1 of 2
Font, margin, spacing, and file format requirements for court filings.
CRITICAL
Attachments must comply with CRC 2.103 if printed on paper or CRC 2.256(b) if electronically filed.
All attachments must be printed on paper complying with CRC 2.103 or, if electronically filed, must comply with CRC 2.256(b).
CRITICALCivil cases
- Format
When leave is granted to offer an additional exhibit, it must be ready for transmission to the court as a separate PDF file named with the case number, caption, party role, exhibit number, and brief description.
The party offering the exhibit shall ensure the exhibit is readily available in electronic form, prepared using Adobe portable document format (commonly known as .pdf), for transmission to the court. Each exhibit must be a separate .pdf file. The .pdf file shall be named in the following manner: Case number-Case caption-Party role-Exhibit number-Brief description of exhibit
CRITICALCivil cases
Use an interior envelope labeled according to the instructions in section 1.
Use an interior envelope with the labeling instructions as mentioned in # 1 of this section.
CRITICAL
Judicial Council forms required by the supervised-visitation rule must be the most recently adopted form or its successor.
Judicial Council forms required by this rule shall be the most recent adopted form or successor to such form.
CRITICALCivil cases
Address the outer envelope to the court location where the hearing will be held, including the assigned department or courtroom number.
ADDRESS THE OUTER ENVELOPE AS FOLLOWS: Santa Maria: Send to: Santa Barbara County Superior Court Dept. # (Courtroom # where your hearing will be heard) 312 E. Cook Street Santa Maria, CA 93454 Santa Barbara: Send to: Santa Barbara Superior Court Dept. # (Courtroom # where your hearing will be heard) 1100 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101
CRITICALCivil cases
Exhibits must not be placed in the Court Drop-Box.
Do not put exhibits in the Court Drop-Box!
CRITICAL
A party participating electronically must submit the Certificate of Completion in hardcopy.
If a party participates in the PEACE program electronically, the party shall print a hardcopy ‘Certificate of Completion’ and file it with the court within the time for completion of PEACE program attendance.
CRITICAL
A judgment must use the applicable Judicial Council form, include all required attachments, and have all applicable items completed.
1425 JUDGMENTS (a) [Format of Judgment] Judgments must be on the applicable Judicial Council form with all required attachments and applicable items completed.
CRITICAL
A Petition for Capacity Hearing must use the form in the Appendix.
The form of the Petition for Capacity Hearing shall be the form included in the Appendix to these local rules.
CRITICAL
- Format
- PAPER
Original deposition transcripts intended for use at trial must be available to the court in hard copy.
Original deposition transcripts to be used at trial must be available to the court in hard copy.
CRITICAL
A single e-filed or e-lodged document may not exceed 25 megabytes; oversized covered documents must be separated into sequentially numbered volumes of no more than 25 megabytes each.
A single e-filed or e-lodged document may not be larger than 25 megabytes. In all cases where exhibits or other documents are required to be e-filed or e-lodged under Local Rule 1012, including proceedings brought under Code of Civil Procedure section 1094.5 or otherwise requiring the lodging or filing of an administrative record, and the exhibits or other documents to be e-filed or e-lodged would otherwise exceed 25 megabytes in a single document, the document to be e-filed or e-lodged must be separated into sequentially numbered volumes, each volume of which does not exceed 25 megabytes.
CRITICALCivil cases
- Format
When the court grants leave to offer additional exhibits, each exhibit must be available as a separate PDF for transmission to the court.
If the court grants leave to offer additional exhibits during the hearing or trial, the following procedure must be followed: The party offering the exhibit shall ensure the exhibit is readily available in electronic form, prepared using Adobe portable document format (commonly known as .pdf), for transmission to the court. Each exhibit must be a separate .pdf file.
CRITICAL
Electronic documents must be text searchable, comply with California Rules of Court formatting and content requirements including electronic bookmarks, and meet additional requirements on the court’s website.
All electronic documents must be in text searchable format and must comply with the formatting and content requirements of the California Rules of Court for electronic documents, including particularly CRC 3.1110(f)(4) requiring electronic bookmarks. Additional formatting requirements are set forth on the court's website: sbcourts.org.
CRITICAL
An appeal made on behalf of the patient must use the form in the Appendix.
The form to be used for an appeal made on behalf of the patient shall be the form included in the Appendix to these local rules.
CRITICAL
Evidence-binder exhibits must be numbered serially, printed single-sided, and not designated as the plaintiff’s or defendant’s.
1. Exhibits shall be numbered serially, single sided and without designation as “Plaintiff’s” or “Defendant’s”.
CRITICAL
- Applies to
- Jury trial submissions
The required jury-trial submissions must be emailed as attachments in Microsoft Word format.
Five court days prior to the Trial Confirmation Conference, each party shall file, serve and email to all counsel of Record, to the Judge at csterne@sbcourts.org, and to the Judge's clerk at nreigelman@sbcourts.org as an email attachment in Microsoft Word format the following:
CRITICAL
Each party must receive an exhibit-number block large enough for its exhibits, with the plaintiff assigned the lowest-numbered block.
2. Each party shall be assigned a block of numbers sufficient for the number of exhibits to be offered by that party, with the lowest numbered block assigned to the plaintiff.
CRITICAL
The evidence binder must have a separate numbered tab for each exhibit or group exhibit.
3. There shall be a separate, numbered tab in the binder for each exhibit or group exhibit.
CRITICAL
7. Please label the bookends of the exhibit binders to indicate which exhibit numbers are contained within the binder.
7. Please label the bookends of the exhibit binders to indicate which exhibit numbers are contained within the binder.
CRITICAL
Impeachment exhibits may be omitted from the binder, but each must have a numbered tab for a reserved exhibit.
5. Impeachment exhibits need not be in the evidence binder, but a numbered tab for a “reserved” exhibit must be in the evidence binder for each such exhibit.
CRITICAL
Each group exhibit must have an internal numbering system, such as a Bates stamp or pagination.
4. Each group exhibit shall have an internal numbering system (Bates stamp or pagination.
CRITICAL
Medical bills or invoices must be tabbed separately from medical records.
6. Medical bills or invoices shall be tabbed separately from medical records.
CRITICALCivil cases
Evidence binders must comply with the stated size, exhibit-numbering, tabbing, pagination, reserved-tab, and medical-document separation requirements.
The evidence binder(s), each binder shall not exceed 2 ½ to 3 inches and shall comply with the following requirements. 1. Exhibits shall be numbered serially, without designation as “Plaintiff’s” or “Defendants”; 2. Each party shall be assigned a block of numbers sufficient for the number of exhibits to be offered by that party, with the lowest numbered block assigned to the plaintiff; 3. There shall be a separate, numbered tab in the binder for each exhibit or group exhibit; 4. Each group exhibit shall have an internal numbering system (Bates stamp or pagination); 5. Impeachment exhibits need not be in the evidence binder, but a numbered tab for a “reserved” exhibit must be in the evidence binder for each impeachment exhibit; and 6. Medical bills or invoices shall be tabbed separately from medical records.
CRITICALCivil cases
Exhibits in the evidence binders must be marked for identification when referred to during trial.
All exhibits in the evidence binder(s) shall be marked for identification as they are referred to during trial.
CRITICALCivil cases
Multi-page exhibits must be internally numbered by Bates stamp or another consecutive numbering method.
Multi-paged exhibits shall be internally numbered by Bates stamp or other consecutive numbering.
CRITICALCivil cases
Evidence binders must be between 2½ and 3 inches in size and have a numbered tab for each exhibit.
and shall bring their evidence binder (binders shall be between 2 ½ and 3 inches in size) with a table of contents and numbered tab for each exhibit as ordered in the TRIAL CALL ORDER to the Court the first morning start of trial.
CRITICALCivil cases
Medical bills and invoices must be tabbed and marked separately from medical records and other documents.
Medical bills or invoices shall be tabbed and marked separately from medical records or other documents.
CRITICALCivil cases
Evidence binders brought to court at the start of trial must be 2½ to 3 inches in size and have a table of contents and a numbered tab for each exhibit.
For example, Plaintiff/Petitioner shall use numbers 1 – 200 and Defendant/Respondent shall use numbers 201 – 400 adjusting the numbers as necessary to accommodate both parties number of exhibits and shall bring their evidence binder (binders shall be between 2 ½ and 3 inches in size) with a table of contents and numbered tab for each exhibit as ordered in the TRIAL CALL ORDER to the Court the first morning start of trial.
CRITICAL
Counsel must email the completed exhibit list as a WORD attachment to the Dept 4 Secretary.
and email as a WORD attachment to Dept 4 Secretary phiromerides@sbcourts.org
CRITICAL
When there are five or fewer exhibits and their combined pages do not exceed 25, each exhibit must have a blank divider sheet showing only its exhibit number at the bottom.
For five (5) or less exhibits, and where the total number of pages of all exhibits combined does not exceed 25 pages: (If the number of pages exceeds 25, follow the instructions under c - e below) • Each exhibit shall have a divider sheet in front of the actual exhibit. • The divider sheet shall be blank except for the exhibit number displayed at the bottom.
CRITICAL
Exhibits must be organized in the order in which they appear on the Exhibit List.
Exhibits must be organized in the order they are listed on the Exhibit List.
CRITICAL
Packets containing more than five exhibits must be assembled in an exhibit binder with numbered tab pages before each exhibit.
For more than five (5) exhibits, exhibit packets shall be assembled in an exhibit binder, using numbered tab pages before each exhibit.
CRITICAL
- Format
- PAPER
Original deposition transcripts intended for use at trial must be available to the court in hard copy.
Original deposition transcripts to be used at trial must be available to the court in hard copy.
CRITICAL
Family ex parte documents must be filed without a hearing date inserted.
You must file your documents without a hearing date inserted.
WARNINGCivil cases
Exhibits must be arranged in the order shown on the Exhibit List.
Exhibits must be organized in the order they are listed on the Exhibit List.
WARNINGCivil cases
For five or fewer exhibits totaling no more than 25 pages, each exhibit must have a blank divider sheet with only its exhibit number at the bottom; if the packet exceeds 25 pages, follow instruction b.
For 5 or less exhibits, with the total number of pages of all exhibits combined, not exceeding 25 pages: Each exhibit shall have a divider sheet in front of the actual exhibit. (If the number of pages exceeds 25, follow the instructions in b.) The divider sheet shall be blank except for the exhibit number displayed at the bottom.
WARNINGCivil cases
Packets containing more than five exhibits must be assembled in an exhibit binder with numbered tab pages before each exhibit.
For more than 5 exhibits, Exhibit packets shall be assembled in an exhibit binder, using numbered tab pages before each exhibit.
WARNINGCivil cases
The Court will not download or duplicate CDs, DVDs, or other electronic media during the hearing.
Electronic evidence such as CDs, DVDs, and other media will not be downloaded or duplicated by the Court during the hearing.
WARNINGCivil cases
The Court will not download or duplicate electronic media during a hearing, and QR codes will not be accepted.
Electronic evidence such as CDs, DVDs, and other media will not be downloaded or duplicated by the Court during the hearing. Quick Response or “QR codes” will not be accepted.
WARNINGCivil cases
At the Santa Maria courthouse, exhibit delivery is available Monday through Friday, excluding Court holidays.
Santa Maria courthouse only: Monday through Friday, excluding Court holidays
WARNINGCivil cases
Exhibit numbers are assigned by party: 1–200 to Petitioner/Plaintiff, 201–400 to Respondent/Defendant, and 401–600 to another parent or third party.
Petitioner/Plaintiff shall use numbers 1 – 200. Respondent/Defendant shall use numbers 201 – 400. Other Parent or any third Party shall use numbers 401 – 600.
WARNINGCivil cases
Mailed exhibit packets must use an interior envelope labeled according to the instructions referenced in section 1.
Use an interior envelope with the labeling instructions as mentioned in # 1 of this section.
WARNINGCivil cases
A party or designee delivering exhibits must undergo weapons screening at the specified entrance and inform security that exhibits are being delivered.
The submitting party or their designee must go through weapons screening at the Miller Street side of building G. Please inform the security guard that you are delivering exhibits.
WARNINGCivil cases
The outer envelope for a mailed exhibit packet must be addressed to the specified court recipient and address for either the Santa Barbara or Lompoc courthouse.
ADDRESS THE OUTER ENVELOPE AS FOLLOWS: For mailing to Santa Barbara courthouse: Santa Barbara County Superior Court Secretary to Comm. Diaz Dept. SB 1 1100 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 For mailing to Lompoc courthouse: Santa Barbara County Superior Court Clerk’s Office Lompoc Dept. 2 115 Civic Center Plaza Lompoc, CA 93436
WARNING
A business card without the attorney’s California State Bar license number must have the number handwritten on it.
If the CA State Bar license number is not noted on the card, it must be handwritten.
WARNINGCivil cases
Petitioners or plaintiffs must number exhibits 1–200; respondents or defendants must number exhibits 201–400.
Petitioner/Plaintiff shall use numbers 1 – 200. Respondent/Defendant shall use numbers 201 – 400.
WARNINGCivil cases
For five or fewer exhibits totaling no more than 25 pages, each exhibit must have a blank divider sheet with only its exhibit number at the bottom; if the total exceeds 25 pages, follow instruction b.
For 5 or less exhibits, with the total number of pages of all exhibits combined, not exceeding 25 pages: Each exhibit shall have a divider sheet in front of the actual exhibit. (If the number of pages exceeds 25, follow the instructions in b.) The divider sheet shall be blank except for the exhibit number displayed at the bottom.
WARNING
Staples on paper briefs should not be covered with tape.
If stapled, the staples should not be covered with tape.
WARNING
For five or fewer exhibits totaling no more than 25 pages, place a blank divider sheet showing only the exhibit number at the bottom before each exhibit.
For five (5) or less exhibits, and where the total number of pages of all exhibits combined does not exceed 25 pages: (If the number of pages exceeds 25, follow the instructions under c - e below) • Each exhibit shall have a divider sheet in front of the actual exhibit. • The divider sheet shall be blank except for the exhibit number displayed at the bottom.
WARNINGCivil cases
Parties must be prepared to display exhibits on screen to witnesses testifying remotely.
During the hearing, Parties must be prepared to display exhibits on screen to testifying witnesses who appear remotely.
What formatting rules apply to filings in Santa Barbara Superior Court?
Santa Barbara Superior Court's formatting rule includes file format PDF, if leave is granted to offer an additional exhibit, it must be readily available in electronic form for transmission to the court., each exhibit must be a separate pdf file., and name the pdf: case number-case caption-party role-exhibit number-brief description of exhibit..
Judge Colleen K. Sterne's formatting rule includes exhibits must be numbered serially., exhibits must be single sided., and exhibits must not be designated as “plaintiff’s” or “defendant’s”.. Evidence-binder exhibits must be numbered serially, printed single-sided, and not designated as the plaintiff’s or defendant’s.
Judge Donna D. Geck's formatting rule includes each binder shall not exceed 2 ½ to 3 inches., exhibits must be numbered serially without designation as plaintiff’s or defendants’., each party must receive a sufficient block of exhibit numbers, with the lowest-numbered block assigned to the plaintiff., each exhibit or group exhibit must have a separate numbered tab., each group exhibit must have an internal numbering system, such as a bates stamp or pagination.
31 more rules answer this question.
Related categories
Back to all rules for this courtPage & Word Limits
Maximum page counts and word limits for motions, briefs, and other filings by judge.
Courtesy Copy Requirements
When and how to deliver courtesy copies to chambers, including triggers, timing, and formatting.
Electronic Filing Rules
Electronic filing requirements, permitted filing channels, EFSP portals, and exceptions.
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Filing cutoffs, deemed-filed rules, rejection handling, cure periods, and outage procedures.